From September 24-26, 2018, over 350 leaders from across Canada’s social innovation landscape gathered in Moncton, New Brunswick, for EconoUs2018. Since 2001, CCEDNet has partnered with members across the country to showcase the amazing work being done in different regions, to raise awareness of the impact of community economic development (CED), to examine new ideas, resources and strategies that will make CED practitioners more effective in their efforts, and to connect people who share similar values and vision.
As a collaborative initiative, a committee of local planning partners came together to co-host the conference. The New Brunswick Environmental Network was the local host, with support from the the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick, the Centre for Local Prosperity, the Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia, the Coopérative de développement régional-Acadie, and the Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia. This approach fostered a diversity of perspectives in the conference program, highlighted the local character of the host community, and ensured that a positive legacy of strengthened capacity was left in the Maritimes.
Download the EconoUs2018 Report
Contents
- Introduction
- Who Attended?
- Collaboration in Action
- EconoUs2018 Program
- Evaluation
- Key Numbers and Overview
- Moving Forward
- Save the Date
VIDEOS FROM ECONOUS2019
Social Innovation and Social Finance:
Are we asking the right questions
Strategies for Resourcing Innovation
The 21st Century Leadership
Collective Closing by Witnesses
TOURS
SESSIONS
NETWORKING & BREAKS
PLENARIES & SPECIAL EVENTS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
9:00am - 6:00pm | Regional Tours
Regional tours were not included in the registration price
Acadian Coastal Tour
Enjoy a day along New Brunswick’s Eastern shore on a journey through the life of a lobster, from hatchery to adulthood. Explore the marine ecosystem with a tour of Shediac’s Homarus Eco Centre, followed by a cruise on Shediac Bay to learn about lobster fishing and the tips and tricks to cooking and eating this delicious crustacean…and of course you’ll get to enjoy a lobster meal fit for a king! Finally, you’ll learn how lobster traps are made and visit North America’s largest exporter of herring. Before heading back you’ll get to hear the Acadian lilt during a tour of Cap Pele Village and visit the Smokehouse Museum.
Tour price : $149/person, lunch included
Bay of Fundy Coastal Tour
Explore the Fundy Valley by visiting a local greenhouse where you will learn about Foods of the Fundy Valley. Then take a short trip to the Historical Riverside Consolidated School for a tour of this 1902 landmark. At the school you will hear a presentation on community revitalization plans for the area before continuing to an interpretive hike by the Fundy Guild in breathtaking Fundy National Park. Afterwards, replenish your energy in neighbouring Alma at the Buddha Bear Cafe and check out local arts and crafts in Cleveland Place Artisan Shop & Bookstore.
Tour price : $99/person, lunch not included but can be purchased in Alma
Mi’kmaq Basket Making & Heritage Path Tour
Immerse yourself in traditional Mi’kmaq culture as you learn the fine art of basket making in Elsipogtog First Nation. After a traditional greeting, you will head into the woods along the Heritage Path for a smudging ceremony before learning about the trees used for basket making. You will also get to see a teepee made by the very same elders who will be your teachers. After an introduction to the materials and processes, you will make a nest basket under the guidance of the elders. As you work on your basket, you will learn some traditional Mi’kmaq ways and phrases. By the end of the day, you will leave enriched by the teachings of the elders, carrying a basket that you yourself have woven. (Led by Roads to Sea Guided Tours.)
Tour price : $199/person, lunch included
7:00pm - 9:00pm | Opening Reception
The Big IDEA for Real Change
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Building an Economy that Works for All requires new systems and ways of understanding our world so all people and the environment are deeply valued. To do this, the leadership and participation of historically disadvantaged and equity-seeking groups is a necessity. Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) are essential to creating organizations and communities that reflect our aspirations. In an era of #MeToo, Truth & Reconciliation, Black Lives Matter and LGBT2SQ+, are our practices keeping pace? This conversation with Carol Anne Hilton, Joanna Reynolds, Robert Lessard, and Sarah Leeson-Klym (moderator) examined what IDEA means from different perspectives, and what we all can do to apply it everyday.*Meal not included in the evening.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
7:30am - 9:00am | Breakfast & Plenary Session
Exploring the Opportunities of Social Innovation and Social Finance
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Over the past year, a Co-Creation Steering Group has been working with the Government of Canada to provide recommendations for the development of a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy. The strategy could be the most significant national policy opportunity in a generation. Members of the Steering Group (David LePage, David Upton, Marie Bouchard and Francine Whiteduck) shared what they heard in their year of engagement across Canada, how the strategy could accelerate community innovation across the country, and how to get involved.
09:00am - 09:20am | Networking Break
9:20am - 9:45am | Storytelling Sessions Block A
| S1. The Social Economy: An Essential Tool in the Fight Against Poverty (Beauséjour B) | S2. How an Environmental Non-Profit can Contribute to Local Prosperity (Restigouche) | S3. Promoting Local Investment in New Brunswick through Community Economic Development Corporations (Shediac A) |
| S4. City and Community: Co-Creating Inclusive Prosperity (Ballroom C) | S5. Increasing Impact and Strengthening Networks though Collaborative Social Enterprise (Shediac B) | S6. Import Replacement:A Powerful Strategy for Local Economies (Petitcodiac) |
| S7. How Can We Convince Buyers to Buy Social? (Beauséjour A) | S8. Reconnecting Youth to the Gitxsan Territory through Food Sovereignty (Shediac C) | S9. Women’s Leadership and Aboriginal Entrepreneurship (Ballroom A/B) |
Storytelling sessions share stories of success or struggle and the key lessons learned.
09:45am - 09:55am | Break
9:55am - 10:20am | Storytelling Sessions Block B
| S10. What’s on the Menu? Dishing up Local Food in New Brunswick Institutions (Petitcodiac) | S11. The Ecosystem Collective: A Chamber of Commerce for Low-Carbon Development (Beauséjour B) | S12. The Alberta Investment Tax Credit: Canada’s Newest CEDIF (Restigouche) |
| S13. We Change the Road as We Walk It (Shediac A) | S14. Achieving Social and Professional Integration through Creative Work (Beauséjour A) | S15. Social Enterprise: A Global Immune System Response to the Business Status Quo (Ballroom C) |
| S16. Scaling the Impact of Local Business Networks through Social Procurement (Ballroom A/B) | S17. The ‘Write’ Way to CED: Publishing in Pukatawagan (Shediac B) | S18. Nova Scotia Social Enterprise Ecosystem (Shediac C) |
Storytelling sessions share stories of success or struggle and the key lessons learned.
10:20am - 10:30am | Break
10:30am - 10:55am | Storytelling Sessions Block C
| S19. Carry On Farming: Tools to Help Sustain Rural Communities through Local Food (Restigouche) | S20. Weaving Together the Social Innovation Field (Shediac C) | S21. Growing Co-op Investment (Beauséjour B) |
| S22. Empowering Leaders: An Asset-Based Approach to Community Innovation (Ballroom C) | S23. Linking Arms: Collaborative Leadership for a New Economy (Shediac A) | S24. The Enormous Potential of Business Succession through Cooperatives (Beauséjour A) |
| S25. Creating Community Impact through Social Procurement (Shediac B) | S26. Regional Aboriginal Partnership on Renewable Energy (Ballroom A/B) | S27. Transformative Change: Altering the Outcomes Downstream (Petitcodiac) |
Storytelling sessions share stories of success or struggle and the key lessons learned.
10:55am - 11:05am | Break
11:05am - 11:35am | Plenary Session
A Sustainable Environment is a Vital Part of an Economy that Works for All
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We often view the economy as a silo. The field of economics predominately focusses on sheer numbers: revenues and expenses. When our economic activity has negative impacts we call them externalities, as though people and the environment in which we live stand outside the economy. The economy is not a silo but is embedded within the environment and within society, respectively. Social workers and environmentalists cannot only focus on mitigating the ‘externalities’ of the economy; we must work together to address the root causes and create systems change. Without a sustainable environment there are no sustainable economies and there are no sustainable livelihoods. We need to break this vicious circle.This dialogue between Dale Prest (Chief Executive Officer, the Climate Forest Company), Wendy Keats (Executive Director, Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick), and Raissa Marks (Executive Director, New Brunswick Environmental Network) explored the connection between environmental sustainability and an economy that works for all.
11:35am - 11:45am | Break
11:45am - 1:00pm | Lunch & Plenary Session
Building a Fair Economy from the Ground Up
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City Councillors Matthew Green (Hamilton, ON), Matthew Brown (Preston, UK) and Maeva Vilain (Montreal, P.Q.) are community organizers and elected officials committed to equity in local economic development. They discussed how they’re approaching current challenges and developing promising strategies to build community wealth — through democratic processes and structures. This plenary discussion was moderated by Colette Murphy, Executive Director of the Atkinson Foundation. She is the co-founder of the Power Lab, a new leadership learning initiative for people organizing historically disadvantaged and equity-seeking communities to have a powerful voice in Canada’s public infrastructure development process.
1:00pm - 1:10pm | Break
1:10pm - 2:25pm | Skill Building Workshops Block A
| W1. Building momentum for social innovation and social finance (Ballroom A/B) | W2. Community Benefits 101 (Restigouche) | W3. Peer Coaching: A Collaborative Leadership Lab (Petitcodiac) |
| W4. Growing Community Finance in Canada: Tax Credits, Building the Movement Across Canada (Ballroom C) | W5. Scaling Up Employment Social EnterprisesAcross Canada: Advocating for Social Costs Funding in Your Community (Shediac B) | W6. The Four Tangents Model: A Tool for Developing Innovative Entrepreneurial Projects (Beauséjour A) |
| W7. Moving Local Knowledge and Experiences into Public Policy (Shediac A) | W8. Leveraging Employer Partnerships to Create an Inclusive Labour Market (Shediac C) | W9. The Amazing Story of Revitalization in Bonavista Newfoundland (Beauséjour B) |
Skills-building workshops are interactive sessions that teach skills that can help create ‘an economy that works for all’.
2:25pm - 2:35pm | Break
2:35pm - 4:00pm | Skill Building Workshops Block B
| W10. How do We Talk About an Economy that Works for All? (Beauséjour B) | W11. Revitalizing Communities: Changing the Destiny of Rural Towns (Ballroom C) | W12. To Action! An introduction to Engagement Organizing (Restigouche) ***CANCELLED*** |
| W13. Community-Based Social Innovation Labs in Rural, Remote and Northern Communities (Ballroom A/B) | W14. Building Bridges to Employment through Social Enterprise (Shediac A) | W15. An Intentional Collaboration to Grow a Local CED Ecosystem (Shediac C) |
| W16. Building Better Quality Jobs for Indigenous People (Beauséjour A) | W17. Breaking Down Barriers: A Community Approach towards Changing the Landscape of Employment (Shediac B) | W18. Social Impact 101: Mission, Model, Measure (Petitcodiac) |
Skills-building workshops are interactive sessions that teach skills that can help create ‘an economy that works for all’.
4:00pm - 6:30pm | Local Tours
Acadian Arts and Culture Tour
Immerse yourself in the Acadian arts and cultural scene by taking in a mini concert with local talent before heading out for a walk. See the beautiful Parc des arts du Sommet and listen to a presentation on Acadian Ingenuity. Tour the Aberdeen Arts and Cultural Centre and hear about Artists as Social Entrepreneurs. A guided visit of the Galerie Sans Nom Coop will present Contemporary Art in Acadia. Finish off with dinner at your choice of local restaurant.
Riverfront Bike Tour
Start your two-wheeled journey on the Moncton side of the picturesque Petitcodiac River to see history in the making and hear the story of the Moncton-Riverview Causeway and the largest river restoration project in Canadian history. Ride over the causeway to take in the sights from the other side of the river in Riverview and visit the Chocolate River Station. Here you will hear a brief presentation by Lady Boss Collective on Small Business and Social Enterprise, grab a bite to refuel at Buddha Bear Café and browse the locally produced maple products at Briggs Maple before winding your way back over Moncton.This tour is sponsored by the Town of Riverview
Urban Arts and Culture Walking Tour
Discover Moncton’s Downtown arts scene in this guided walking tour. You will be amazed with the newly renovated Capitol Theatre before venturing down the streets of Moncton to see 16 larger-than-life INSPIRE murals. Then take in some fine art at the Apple Art Gallery where you will be served refreshments. Finish off with dinner at your choice of local restaurant.This tour is sponsored by the United Way of Greater Moncton and Southeastern New Brunswick
6:30pm - 7:30pm | Dinner Break (dinner not provided)
7:30pm - 9:30pm | An Evening of Film (FREE)
“The Social Shift”
75 minutes
Travel with us as we drive across the nation, floating on a geographic canvas of consumption and inequity, kindness and generosity and, most of all, a drive for change. We will share the stories of fired-up citizens adding a different type of value to the world through business: social value. Value that is not only economic, but improving people’s lives and bettering society; that builds communities, protects the environment, supports local and employs people of all abilities; a type of value that lives up to the responsibilities that our world and future rely on. Hilarious, informative and heartfelt, this is a journey that will leave viewers inspired, engaged and ready to contribute to making the world a more inclusive and sustainable place for all.
“Climate Change and the Human Prospect”
40 minutes
A two and one-half day intensive discussion with global and local thinkers to define a path to restore and revitalize local communities in the face of climate change.Sixty years after the original Pugwash Retreat on nuclear proliferation, humankind faces the legacy of an industrialized world, Climate Change. It is the defining crisis of our times, and as citizens of this Earth, we recognize and acknowledge it is a tragedy of our own making.Inspired by this original gathering and armed with a conviction that local action is not only possible, but the path forward, 24 global and regional Thinkers, representing all aspects of community life, gathered for two and a half days of intense, intentional conversation focused on actionable, locally-focused and forward-motion Climate Change plans. We believe this retreat can be a significant part of fostering a Climate Change Movement in Atlantic Canada. This retreat was a beginning, a first step toward what we hope will be an ongoing and positive movement generating new ideas and innovations to help our communities survive and thrive in the midst of changes to come.
Short Documentary
6 minutes
CEDEC has partnered with two Indigenous communities, training providers and local employers to develop an integrated learning model that leverages resources to support training in Essential Work Place, Customer Service & second language skills. The objective is better skills alignment and improved employment outcomes for low essential skilled individuals enabling them to access employment in the tourism sector in the Gaspésie and Kebaowek (North‐Western Quebec)Training has kicked off in Kebaowek and the film we have produced is telling the story of the partnerships that were created to get to this point. Sepaq will be opening a national park in the summer and they have been enthusiastic about working with local indigenous people.
“The Inclusive Economy”
26 minutes
« The Inclusive Economy: Stories of Community Economic Development (CED) in Manitoba » was created by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba and CCEDNet Manitoba with Rebel Sky Media.
All around us we see the results of the gaps that capitalism leaves. The Inclusive Economy gives a glimpse into the world of CED, and showcases the good work that’s going on right here in our province. Economists, CED practitioners, and employees of Social Enterprises and Co-ops share their experiences to give a full picture of an economy that is for and by people.
The film was premiered at an event in Winnipeg at the end of January. This premiere was free, and following the screening, there was a panel discussion featuring a few of the individuals seen in the film.
This film was made in conjunction with Community Economic Development in Manitoba: Theory, History, Policy and Practice a report detailing the history of CED in Manitoba.This film was made in conjunction with a report detailing the history of CED in Manitoba. The report is forthcoming and will be available at the launch.This project was funded through the generous financial support of the of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council through the Manitoba Research Alliance’s project: Partnering for Change: Community Based Solutions for Aboriginal and Inner City Poverty.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
8:00am - 9:15am | Breakfast & Plenary
The Power of Community
Locality – Tony Armstrong
Click on the image to access the powerpoint |
EconoUs2018 was proud to host Tony Armstrong from Locality, England’s leading membership network supporting community organizations to be strong and successful. Through many years of severe austerity and a Localism Act that introduced new powers for communities, Locality took a ‘Local by Default’ approach to public services, supporting community ownership of assets, neighbourhood planning and a Localism Commission that has charted a course for communities to take back power. Locality’s experience offers instructive insights into how we might take action to renew the power of community here in Canada.
9:15am - 11:00am | Co-Navigating New Routes to an Economy that Works for All - Breakout A
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Using a Theory U approach led by the team from NouLab, the final morning of EconoUs2018 allowed participants to take a step back and reflect on what’s been learned and what’s next, both personally and collaboratively. Participants were able to think about the work they are doing, questions they have and places where they are stuck. Facilitators drew on the talent in the room to accelerate action, take fresh perspectives, and bring great ideas to life.
11:00am - 11:30am | Networking Break
11:30am - 12:45pm | Co-Navigating New Routes to an Economy that Works for All - Breakout B
Click on the image to access the content
Using a Theory U approach led by the team from NouLab, the final morning of EconoUs2018 allowed participants to take a step back and reflect on what’s been learned and what’s next, both personally and collaboratively. Participants were able to think about the work they are doing, questions they have and places where they are stuck. Facilitators drew on the talent in the room to accelerate action, take fresh perspectives, and bring great ideas to life.
12:45pm - 1:00pm | Networking Break
1:00pm - 2:30pm | Lunch & Closing Plenary
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Amanda Hachey
Director, NouLab
Biography
MASTER OF CEREMONY
Amanda’s strengths are in facilitation, public engagement, systems thinking, sustainability, and process design. She believes that in order to solve our biggest problems we need to 1) understand them from diverse perspectives – to see the whole system, 2) we need to listen to each other with curiosity and an open mind and 3) we need to experiment. NouLAB is the convenor of the processes to dig into root causes, innovate lasting solutions, and the change the way we tackle big problems.She has spent the last 12 years working in community economic development with projects in the US, France, Panama, Vietnam, and Sweden. She returned to New Brunswick with a renewed passion to help Atlantic Canada realize its potential. Amanda has worked as a consultant with co-operatives, businesses, and communities on strategic processes to integrate sustainability. Recent clients include: Town of Riverview, City of Moncton, Province of New Brunswick, Pratt & Whitney, Genuine Health, Picaroons, Co-operative Enterprise Council of NB.Amanda has Bachelor of Business Administration from University of New Brunswick Saint John and a Master’s in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability from the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden.Francine is Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg.
Ethel Côté
Founder, mécénESS
Biography
MASTER OF CEREMONY
Ethel Côté has been involved in social solidarity economy for 30 years. Founder of mécènESS, Ethel is interested in various fundraising strategies for the common good. She was selected as the 2015 Champion of Women’s Economic Empowerment by UN Women and is a social economy referent within the Quartier du monde association and the Réseau des entrepreneures solidaires. She has a graduate degree in community economic development from Concordia University and a certificate in rural development from Université Laval and the University of Saskatchewan. Ethel is co-chair of the Alliance économique francophone, administrator of the Coop Zone, the PanAfrican Institute for Development and the Centre espoir Sophie. She is also president of the artistic social economy enterprise Compagnie Vox Théâtre.
Tony Armstrong
CEO, Locality
Biography
Plenary session “The Power of Community”
Wednesday, September 26
Tony joined Locality as CEO in July 2014. Locality helps communities improve peoples’ lives through community enterprise, community asset ownership and social action – campaigning for a ‘local by default’ approach to public services.Previously Chief Executive of Living Streets (since 2008), the national charity for pedestrians, Tony has motivated people around the UK to take action to improve their local environments and local economies, campaigning for better quality streets, and has influenced policy to make walking safer and easier.Before joining the third sector, Tony was a civil servant for 9 years and held a number of senior policy adviser roles in Government. He worked on neighbourhood regeneration and renewal and health improvement and was one of the original members of staff of the Government’s Neighbourhood Renewal Unit from 2001. He was responsible for national work on neighbourhood management, and health inequalities and the development of Local Strategic Partnerships.
Matthew Green
City Councillor, Hamilton
Biography
Plenary session “Building a Fair Economy from the Ground Up”
Tuesday, September 25
Matthew Green was elected in 2014 to serve as Councillor for Ward 3 (Hamilton Centre) in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is the first Councillor of African-Canadian decent in Hamilton’s history.Matthew is a graduate of Political Science from Acadia University. He continued his learning at McMaster University and has completed Executive Education courses in the Marshall Ganz course on Leadership, Organizing, and Action from the Harvard Kennedy School and Governance for Non Profits from the Harvard Business School. Since being elected he has given keynote speeches and attended panels for many organizations including the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Broadbent Institute, the Ontario Federation of Labour, Toronto District Labour Council, C.U.P.E Ontario and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.Matthew has been awarded the inaugural Friends of Labour Award from Hamilton District Labour Council, a J.C. Holland Award from Hamilton’s Black History Committee, and a community appreciation award from the Hamilton Native Womens’ Centre.As a City Councillor, Matthew’s advocacy has focussed on ecological, economic, and social justice. Matthew passed the Blue Dot Motion, making Hamilton the first city in Ontario to adopt an environmental bill of rights. Matthew’s advocacy opposing police carding and racial profiling had a direct impact on provincial policy resulting in more stringent regulations on how local police interact with our community. He is a strong advocate for affordable, dignified housing, actively supporting inclusionary zoning, and serves as Vice Chair and Treasurer for City Housing Hamilton. He fought for improved consumer protections for residents by taking on the payday loan industry’s predatory lending practices and made Hamilton the first Ontario City to licence payday loan outlets.He currently lives in Ward 3, the community he serves, with his partner Jayde and his absolute purpose in life, his son Langston.
Maeva Vilain
City Councillor, Montreal
Biography
Plenary session “Building a Fair Economy from the Ground Up”
Tuesday, September 25
Maeva Vilain is a city councillor in Jeanne Mance, one of the Plateau Mont-Royal districts in Montreal. Elected under the banner of Projet Montréal, she is on the team of Mayor Valérie Plante, who has been running the city since November 2017. Maeva sits on the Committee on Economic Development and Housing as well as that of the Inspector General.She was the political attaché to the NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice from 2011 to 2017. She worked on safeguarding Canada Post and electoral reform. She has also been a journalist for Radio-Canada International, specializing in international news and the integration of newcomers to Canada.Maeva was born and raised in Paris (France). She graduated from the Institute of Political Studies in Lille (France) and has a certificate in journalism from the University of Montreal. She immigrated to Montreal at the age of 23. She is the mother of two young children.
Matthew Brown
City Councillor, Preston (UK)
Biography
Plenary session “Building a Fair Economy from the Ground Up”
Tuesday, September 25
Councillor Matthew Brown is a leading voice of economic localism and community wealth building in the UK.Since April 2018, Councillor Matthew Brown leads Preston’s City Council and represents the Tulketh ward. Prior to his election in 2002, he has had portfolios that include community engagement and inclusion, social justice and policy initiatives.Matthew has been widely credited as the driving force behind the ‘Preston model’, an economic model that re-directs procurement from external suppliers to local producers as a response to central government funding cuts that have ravaged the city’s budgets since 2011. Recently, Matthew and the Preston model have gained traction with economists searching for alternative economic theory and practice. He has been featured in The Guardian, the Mirror and Ed Milliband’s live Reasons to be Cheerful event.Matthew was recently named a Fellow of the Democracy Collaborative, a US-based research institute dedicated to developing new strategies for a more democratic economy.
Colette Murphy
Executive Director, Atkinson Foundation
Biography
Plenary session “Building a Fair Economy from the Ground Up”
Tuesday, September 25
For Colette Murphy, philanthropy has always been more about the power of people than the power of money to change the world.A Canadian who was raised in the US, Colette cut her teeth as an activist working alongside refugees who found their way to Toronto in the 90s. Since then, she’s earned a North American reputation as a reliable ally, a tenacious advocate for social and economic justice, and a creative collaborator across traditional lines. Best known as an organizational capacity builder at United Way Toronto and a champion for inclusive local economies at the Metcalf Foundation, she has also worked behind-the-scenes on innovative poverty reduction, anti-racism and leadership development initiatives over the course of her career.As the Executive Director of the 75-year old Atkinson Foundation, Colette focuses on strengthening movements for decent work, shared prosperity and democratic renewal. These efforts are inspired by the example set by Joseph Atkinson who knew poverty before he knew wealth as the publisher of Canada’s largest daily newspaper, the Toronto Star. To this day, the foundation’s public policy agenda and investment strategies reflect Mr. Atkinson’s deep personal concern for the lives and livelihoods of working people, and his pragmatic vision of a just society.Colette and her partner David have two children, Celeste and Malachy. They live in a Toronto neighbourhood that has perfected the art of the street party.
Dale Prest
CEO, the Climate Forest Company
Biography
Plenary session “A sustainable environment and an economy that works for all”
Tuesday, September 25
Dale is the Chief Executive Officer at the Climate Forest Company, a recent start-up that has been spun out of Community Forests International to bring their carbon offsetting work to a regional scale. He has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Dalhousie University and is finishing up a M.Sc at St. Francis Xavier University where he is investigating the long-term impact of clearcut harvesting on forest soil carbon storage in the Acadian Forest. Dale comes from Mooseland, NS, where he grew up logging in family owned woodlots.
Lois Corbett
Executive Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick
Biography
Plenary session “A sustainable environment and an economy that works for all”
Tuesday, September 25
Lois recently returned home to NB, after 30 years away working on environmental policy elsewhere, to join Conservation Council of New Brunswick as Executive Director. Lois was most recently a Senior Policy Advisor to three Ministers of the Environment in Ontario since 2003 before establishing her own consulting practice. She was previously the Executive Director at the Toronto Environmental Alliance where she helped Toronto City Council adopt its progressive Smog Action Plan, ban the use of cosmetic pesticides, develop its Climate Change Action plan and its waste diversion plan, as well as amendments to its sewer use by-law and building permit process. At TEA Lois also successfully developed the campaign that saw provincial political parties’ commit to phase-out coal-fired electricity in Ontario.Lois’ first job in the environmental movement was at the Conservation Council of New Brunswick in 1981 where she was employed as a summer student. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Saint Thomas University in Fredericton, NB
Joanna Reynolds
Director of Social Enterprise, Centre for Social Innovation
Biography
Plenary session “The big IDEA for real change”
Monday, September 24
Jo works alongside community groups, foundations, social entrepreneurs, and business leaders to advance the application of social finance and social entrepreneurship. With roots in community development at West Neighbourhood House working with youth, newcomers to Canada, and adult literacy, Jo then jumped into working alongside the visionaries at Social Innovation Generation to advance social finance in Canada. In this role, she supported the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance, report, “Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good” that led to the start of the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing where she was a founding team member. Over this period, Joanna curated Canada’s Social Finance Forum, and co-authored the report the “State of the Nation: Impact Investing in Canada”. Jo also is proud to have supported SocialFinance.ca as a knowledge catalyst for engaging policymakers, community members, investors and changemakers. Joanna regularly speaks on social enterprise and impact investing and participates as a guest lecturer at various post-secondary schools.In her role at Center for Social Innovation, Jo leads social enterprise development across a number of vibrant networks in Ontario and Canada. She is part of the team developing the Impact Dashboard and Soshent.net. and loves meeting and connecting with CSI members and others. Jo is grateful to live, learn, and play on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples, (also known as Kingston) with her partner and two kids. You can find her engaged with her queer and trans communities, growing food, cycling, and generally enjoying life!
Sarah Leeson-Klym
Manitoba Regional Director, the Canadian CED Network
Biography
Plenary session “The big IDEA for real change”
Monday, September 24
Sarah believes that communities are the experts of their lived experience and that CED provides great approaches for them to develop creative and grounded solutions to the biggest challenges we collectively face. She first obtained an Arts and Cultural Management certificate from MacEwan University, then worked and volunteered in a range of capacity building programs before graduating with a BA (Honours) degree in Social Justice Theory and Practice from the University of Winnipeg in 2012.Starting in 2011, her previous position as Learning and Engagement Coordinator focused on engaging CCEDNet’s Manitoba members, creating learning programs, coordinating The Manitoba Gathering, and the Enterprising Non-Profits program for social enterprise development. Sarah is active in her neighbourhood as a board member of the Daniel McIntyre St. Matthews Community Association. She is also a dedicated board member of the growing Rainbow Trout Music Festival and a regular volunteer for the LITE Wild Blueberry Pancake Breakfast.
Marie J. Bouchard
Full professor, École des sciences de la gestion, Université du Québec à Montréal
Biography
Plenary session “The Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy”
Tuesday, September 25
Marie J. Bouchard is a full professor at the École des sciences de la gestion at the Université du Québec à Montréal. She holds a doctorate in sociology from the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in France, and has been a member of the Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales (CRISES) since 1995, where she is currently managing the Social Innovations and Collective Enterprises research area.She was the university officer for the Community Housing Project of the Community–University Research Alliance (CURA) in social economy from 2009 to 2010. She was also the Canada Research Chair in social economy from 2003 to 2013.In 2008, Marie published a statistical portrait of Montréal’s social economy, and in 2011, she completed a conceptual framework for the Institut de la statistique du Québec. In 2017, she also completed a conceptual framework for the uniformization of statistics on cooperatives for the International Labour Office.Since 2015, Marie has chaired the Commission Social and Cooperative Economy of the International Centre of Research and Information on the Public, Social and Cooperative Economy (CIRIEC).
Francine Whiteduck
Founder, Whiteduck Resources Inc.
Biography
PLENARY SESSION “THE SOCIAL INNOVATION AND SOCIAL FINANCE STRATEGY”
Tuesday, September 25
Francine is the founder of Whiteduck Resources Inc., a company with national and international reach through a network of joint initiatives, project partnerships, and associates. WRI works in business, economic, education and social development disciplines with a particular emphasis in women’s development, and on projects that apply an impact investing mission-critical lens.Since beginning, WRI and its partners have supported and led projects with broad social and environmental purposes such as the 2008-2013 gender mainstreaming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) SME Women and Trade Initiative Pilot designed to ensure inclusion of rural, remote and indigenous women in trade and in the development of export markets. Recently, Francine started Breakthrough Growth Accelerator, a project designed to engage organizations and support youth and others in intentional social and environmental enterprise pursuits that disrupt long-standing systemic barriers.Francine currently serves as a Prosper Canada board member, a non-profit with a focus on developing financial empowerment and literacy for Canadians, and has served as a member of the Employment Services Development Canada Social Innovation Social Finance Steering Group. She is board governance ICD.d certified through the Institute of Corporate Directors.In 2009, Francine was awarded the World of Difference Award by The International Alliance of Women for her contributions to the economic advancement of women, and in 2017 was honoured with the Bank of Montreal Award for Community Development and Charitable Giving.Francine is Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg.
Bill Ninacs
Consultant at the cooperative La Clé in Victoriaville
Biography
PLENARY SESSION “THE BIG IDEA FOR REAL CHANGE
Monday, September 24
Bill’s background includes management positions in the public and private sectors as well as wide experience in the community sector where he helped support service and advocacy groups, worker and consumer co-operatives, and other social agencies. He has been active in CED for more than 25 years, notably as Coordinator of the first community development corporation in Québec and as Co-Director of the Canadian CED Network. For more than 20 years, Bill has been a researcher in the field and on the subjects of empowerment-based interventions, local community development and the social economy, with publications in English and in French. He has taught at the School of Community Economic Development at Southern New Hampshire University and in the CED program at Concordia University. Currently Bill is also Associate Professor at the Université du Québec en Outaouais.
David Upton
Co-founder, Common Good Solutions
Biography
PLENARY SESSION “EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITIES OF SOCIAL INNOVATION ANS SOCIAL FINANCE”
Tuesday, September 25
David is a committed entrepreneur who is passionate about social change and using business as a tool to strengthen our communities. Blending these passions, the focus of his work over the past 25 years has been on building capacity within the social enterprise ecosystem on a regional, national, and international basis.He is the co-founder of Common Good Solutions, a founding member of the Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia, a past member of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Social Innovation Committee and teaches social finance as an adjunct faculty member in the University of Fredericton MBA Program.
David LePage
Chair, Social Enterprise Council of Canada
Biography
PLENARY SESSION “EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITIES OF SOCIAL INNOVATION AND SOCIAL FINANCE”
Tuesday, September 25
David LePage is the Managing Partner of Buy Social Canada, a partner in the Social Enterprise Institute and Principal with Accelerating Social Impact CCC, Ltd. (ASI).David provides direct support and strategic advice to blended value businesses, social enterprises and social finance developments. He is involved in multiple public policy initiatives and research projects to support the social enterprise ecosystem across Canada.David’s other current roles include: Founding Member and Chair of the Social Enterprise Council of Canada; Chair of the Board of Directors of the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF); Instructor for Groundswell Social Venture Incubator; Member, Canadian CED Network Policy Council; Member, Imagine Canada’s Sector Pulse Committee; Program Adjunct in the MBA in Social Enterprise Leadership program at the Sandermoen School of Business. Previously, David was the Team Manager of Enterprising Non-Profits (ENP).
Natasha Jackson
Director, Communities Nova Scotia, Province of Nova Scotia
Biography
Plenary session “The big IDEA for real change”
Monday, September 24
Carol Anne Hilton
CEO, Transformation: Social and Economic Development
Biography
Plenary session “The big IDEA for real change”
Monday, September 24
Carol Anne is a recognized leading First Nation’s business entrepreneur with an international Masters Degree in Business Management (MBA) from the University of Hertfordshire, England. Carol Anne is from the Nuu chah nulth Nation on Vancouver Island.Carol Anne was recently appointed as a senior advisor to the Federal Finance Minister on the Canadian Economic Growth Council. Carol Anne currently serves on the Canadian Community Economic Development Network Board and has recently been appointed to the McGill University Institute of Canadian Studies. Carol Anne has served as Director on the Vancouver Island Investment Fund, the World Fisheries Trust, the Victoria Community Micro Lending Society, Community Social Planning Council, the First Nations Health Authority and served for 9 years on Council of Hesquiaht First Nation.Carol Anne works to incorporate an Aboriginal worldview while bringing First Nations, industry and government together to design new approaches for sustainable, inclusive development. Carol Anne brings project management experience across industries in resource management, governance, and regional development.Carol Anne is currently authoring ‘Indigenomics – a Global Power Shift’ and has been an instructor at Camosun Business School Leadership Program as well as at Simon Fraser University’s Community Economic Development Program, the University of Winnipeg’s Masters in Community Planning Program and most recently with the Banff Center’s Indigenous Business Program where she is also currently a Fleck Fellow.
Kim Thompson
Executive Director, The Daenary Project
Biography
PLENARY SESSION “A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT AND AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL”
Tuesday, September 25
A resident of the Eastern Shore since 1988, Kim has been instrumental in establishing natural building techniques as viable construction options in the Maritimes. Building her first straw bale home in 1993 with the help of community and friends Kim shared that experience through the production of video and resource materials to support others to take on similar projects. Since 1998 she has been teaching courses in natural building at the School of Architecture.As a founding member of The Deanery Project, Kim has been Executive Director since 2011. She infuses all she does with her love for nature, learning, art, and sustainability.
Robert Lessard
Operations Director, Recycle Action
Biography
PLENARY SESSION “THE BIG IDEA FOR REAL CHANGE”
Monday, September 24
Robert Lessard is the Director of Operations at Recycle-Action, a social enterprise employing 50 people in Eastern Ontario. This company belongs to the Convex Group network.
Robert is a businessman who owned his own retail business for several years. He also owned a service company. He has also worked in the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
For the past 10 years, he has used his business acumen and entrepreneurial skills while developing his knowledge in the field of socio-economic development.
As a social entrepreneur, Robert believes that a social enterprise has a duty to prioritize its social mission. He recognizes that the constant challenge in such a context is to balance the needs of the company with those of the people who work there.
SESSION LEADS
Chief Adrienne Jérôme
Lac Simon Anishnabe Nation
Halifax, NS
Emmanuel Bertrand-Gauvin
First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Economic Development Commission
Wendake, QC
Janice Seto
University College of the North
Thompson, MB
Sylvain Giguère
OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions, and Cities
Paris, France
Delphine Metallic
Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government
Listuguj, QC
Wes Regan
City of Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
Alejandra Bravo
Broadbent Institute
Toronto, ON
Jonathan Coburn
Social Value Lab
Glasgow, Scotland
Victoria Labillois
Wejuseg Construction
Listuguj, QC
Jeff Loomis
Momentum
Calgary, AB
Christine Anonuevo
Upper Skeena Development Centre
Hazelton, BC
Devlin Fernandes
Ecotrust Canada
Prince Rupert, BC
Fernando Rivas
The Learning Enrichment Foundation
Toronto, ON
Kayla Brien
Quint Development Corporation
Saskatoon, SK
Eric Tusz-King
CoopZone
Sackville, NB
Alisha Maxfield
Exchange Inner City
Vancouver, BC
Robert Cervelli
Centre for Local Prosperity
Halifax, NS
Mercedes Sharpe Zayas
Parkdale People’s Economy Project
Toronto, ON
John Buck
CEDEC
Huntingdon QC
Steven Johnston
Exchange Inner City
Vancouver, BC
Paul Langdon
Ulnooweg
Eel River Bar First Nation, NB
Colette Lacroix
Réseau d’inclusion communautaire de Kent
Richibucto, NB
Wendy Keats
Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick
Salisbury, NB
Julien Geremie
Conseil de la coopération de l’Ontario
Toronto, ON
Ryan Gibson
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON
Daimen Hardie
Community Forests International
Sackville, NB
Rupert Downing
Sustainable Community Development
North Saanich, BC
Ashleigh Weeden
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON
Chris Watts
Open Sky Co-operative Ltd. and Powerhouse Co-operative
Sackville, NB
Jessica Wall
Cooperation in Agri-Food New Brunswick
Moncton, NB
Margaret Tusz-King
Open Sky Co-operative Ltd.
Sackville, NB
Mike Townsend
Directions Council
Dartmouth, NS
Kristen Thoms
Quint Development Corporation
Saskatoon, SK
Nathan Randall
Ecotrust Canada
Prince Rupert, BC
Stephanie Pronk
Social Enterprise Institute CCC
Halifax, NS
Bronwyn Oatley
Toronto Enterprise Fund, United Way Greater Toronto
Toronto, ON
Amanda Marlin
EOS Eco-Energy
Sackville, NB
Chelsey MacNeil
Choices for Youth
St. John’s, NL
Joanna Reynolds
Centre for Social Innovation
Toronto, ON
David Lepage
Buy Social Canada
Vancouver, BC
Sally Lavallee
Senden (A Social Enterprise of the Upper Skeena Development Centre)
Hazelton, BC
Anne Jamieson
Toronto Enterprise Fund, United Way Greater Toronto
Toronto, ON
Stephanie Jackman
Respect for the Earth and All People (REAP) Business Association
Calgary, AB
Andy Horsnell
Andy Horsnell Consulting
Halifax, NS
Peter Hicklenton
FarmWorks Investment Co-operative Limited
Wolfville, NS
Marc Henrie
CDR-Acadie
Caraquet, NB
Jeff Harriman
Financial and Consumer Services Commission New Brunswick
Saint John, NB
Barb Davies
Thrive Calgary
Calgary, AB
Jess Popp
Centre for Employment Innovation
Antigonish, NS
David Upton
Common Good Solutions
Halifax, NS
Jaime Smith
Centre for Employment Innovation
Antigonish, NS
Marta Alvarez
The Learning Enrichment Foundation
Toronto, ON
Cathy Deagle Gammon
Dartmouth Adult Services Centre
Halifax, NS
Paul Cabaj
Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada
Ottawa, ON
Christina Baker-Gordon
New Market Funds
Vancouver, BC
Megan McNeill
Government of Alberta – Economic Development and Trade
Edmonton, AB
Johanna Kwakernaak
FarmWorks Investment Co-operative Limited
Wolfville, NS
Jonathan Barbeau-Baril
Espace québécois de concertation sur les pratiques d’approvisionnement responsable
Montréal, QC
Kent Roberts
Department of Business, Province of Nova Scotia
Halifax, NS
Adam Hiscock
Choices for Youth
St. John’s, NL
Jonathan Barr
OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions, and Cities
Paris, France
Marileen Bartlett
Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development
Winnipeg, MB
Jean-François Larue
Employment and Social Development Canada
Ottawa, ON
Jimmy Arnold
Mawiw Council
Fredericton, NB
Francine Whiteduck
Whiteduck Resources Inc.
Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, QC
Marie J Bouchard
École des sciences et de la gestion, Université du Québec à Montréal
Montréal, QC
Stephane Leclair
Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation
Fredericton, NB
John Norman
Bonavista Living
Bonavista, NL
Adam Hiscock
Choices for Youth
St. John’s, NL
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